The returns of FASTRACK and ‘Problem Solvers’

It’s the final FASTRACK of 2012 for the IND Sixth Avenue line. (Click the map to enlarge)

How about some mid-day announcements on this fine fall Monday? We start with the return of FASTRACK as the MTA’s work program enters its final home stretch for 2012. Despite initial plans for two more treatments, tonight’s work begins the last rotation for the program’s first year, and the current victims will be passengers riding along the 6th Ave. line. From 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., trains will be rerouted along the 8th Ave. line between 59th St./Columbus Circle and West 4th St. For all of the gory details, check out my post from July. Nothing has changed.

Meanwhile, I’m pleased to announce another return: “Problem Solvers,” my popular Q-and-A series with the Transit Museum, is making its fall debut on Wednesday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m. I’ll be sitting down with “Gridlock” Sam Schwartz, traffic engineer extraordinaire, to discuss how the city is combating congestion and what else it could be doing. The event will be at The Actors Fund Arts Center at 160 Schermerhorn Street, just a few blocks from the Transit Museum. Reserve your seat for this free event now.

We start with the return of FASTRACK as the MTA’s work program enters its final home stretch for 2012. Despite initial plans for two more treatments, tonight’s work begins the last rotation for the program’s first year, and the current victims will be passengers riding along the 6th Ave. line.

Two more treatments? The plan was always for four shutdowns on each line in 2012, and this is the fourth.

On the top of the map, the (Q) appears to continue on the BMT 60 Street line until before 5 Ave., then goes to the normal (F) tracks to 21 Street-Queensbridge. I think that (1) that is geographically wrong and (2) can’t they extend the (Q) all the way to 179th Street? And (3) the Broadway-Lafayette/Bleecker Street station now seems to be one station instead of its regular three, with a new ADA symbol next to the station name. Oh well, things change… (4) There are no switches between West 4th Street and Broadway-Lafayette? Come on MTA…